AUSTIN, Texas  A man with a handgun fired several shots Thursday on the Texas Capitol's south steps, but state troopers quickly tackled him and there were no reports of injuries, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

The Capitol was on lockdown as officials searched as a precaution. The south steps were secured by yellow police tape.

The shots rang out just after noon, and officers with rifles quickly swarmed the scene. More than a half dozen Department of Public Safety cars quickly appeared, and troopers quickly surrounded the building.

Jill Magid, an artist from New York City, said she was just inside the front doors of the Capitol when the shots were fired. She ran out the doors in time to see troopers holding a man down on the ground.

"They were all over him," Magid said. "I could hear him saying 'my hands are up."'

Gov. Rick Perry was not in the building at the time, his office said, and many lawmakers were away from Austin on Thursday because the legislature was not in session.

Some lawmakers were inside the Capitol, though. House Speaker Joe Straus' office said he was stuck in the building while it was on lockdown. Sen. Leticia Van De Putte wrote on her Twitter page that she was also inside.

Republican Sen. Dan Patrick wrote on his Twitter page that he wasn't in the office but his staff called security.

Lorne Kozak, of Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada, was visiting the Capitol grounds with his 10-year-old son Spencer when they heard gunfire. He said they were about 30 yards from the steps when the shots rang out.

"What I heard was four rifle shots," Kozak said. "There appeared to be a cluster of officers attending to someone on the steps and more officers kept pouring out of the building and of course the sirens."

They snapped a few quick pictures before walking away when police told them to leave.

Contributing: Associated Press Writers April Castro and Jim Vertuno contributed to this report.

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